Wired vs Wireless Gaming Mouse – Which Is Better For Gaming?

Short Answer

A wired mouse is usually a wiser investment: they are more responsive and have much more balanced price-quality ratio. Only pick a wireless mouse if you need flexibility or simply can’t handle cable clutter.

It seems as if it were only yesterday when the mice with trackballs were the only ones that were accessible to the public. But mice did not lag behind while the rest of the computer technology world evolved and improved.

Today we have two important choices that we need to make when picking a gaming mouse:

Laser or optical

Wired or wireless

The latter is what we will be discussing in this article right now. We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of both wired and wireless mice, as well as which of those two is the best suited for gaming.

Without further ado, let delve right into it.

How Do They Work?

Ultimately, there are three ways that a mouse can connect to a computer these days:

USB

PS/2

Bluetooth

The first two are wired options, while the third one is wireless.

USB and PS/2

USB is by far the more popular technology, while the now-dated PS/2 is almost entirely dead. Few, if any, modern motherboards incorporate a PS/2 port into their design, while adapters are the only way that PS/2 technology still lingers on today.

As for USB connectivity, you are probably familiar with it since nearly every peripheral uses it today. It is backward compatible, meaning that any mouse can be plugged into any USB port. Furthermore, there is no need to plug a mouse into a USB 3.0 port, as the speeds offered by USB 2.0 are more than fast enough.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a mainstream short-range wireless technology that is included in all sorts of modern devices, from computers to smartphones.Bluetooth is also fully backwards compatible like USB, meaning that you need not worry about whether the Bluetooth version used by the mouse and your computer match each other.

The more important question, however, is whether your computer has built-in Bluetooth capabilities. Nearly every laptop does, but only the higher-end motherboards come with integrated Bluetooth receivers. If your motherboard lacks this feature, then you can simply get any USB Bluetooth dongle to serve this purpose.

Wired vs Wireless Gaming Mice – Pros and Cons

Wired

Wireless

Pros

- Stable connection - More responsive - Cheaper

- Flexible movement - Looks better

Cons

- Cable clutter

- Input lag - Relies on battery for power - Generally more expensive

If you deem yourself one of the “function over form” gamers, then a wired gaming mouse is definitely a better option. They are cheaper to manufacture, and USB ensures a much more stable and more responsive connection with minimal input lag for optimum gaming performance.Why Go Wired?

The only downside to a wired gaming mouse is just that – the wires. Excessive cable clutter can detract from aesthetic appeal and we all know the inconvenience of having all those peripheral cables get tangled with one another. However, this is nothing that some clever cable management can’t solve.

Why Go Wireless?

The advantages of a wireless gaming mouse are the very same advantages that wireless technology generally offers: freedom of movement and easier management. With a wireless mouse, you don’t need to worry about tangled or stuck cables, and you are free to move away from your desk if you wish to do so.

On the other hand, a wireless mouse also brings the disadvantages that all wireless peripherals commonly share: input lag and a reliance on batteries for power. For most gamers, the input lag wouldn’t be much of an issue unless they move very far from their computer, and only seasoned gamers are likely to feel the difference.

Having to keep track of battery life is more of a minor inconvenience than an actual downside, but we have all forgotten to charge our mouse, keyboard or controller, only to have it die on us at a critical point during gameplay.

Which To Choose?

Keeping all of the above in consideration, it is best to choose the option that fits your needs.

If you are considering a wireless gaming mouse for increased comfort, a tidier desk or for some couch gaming, then you should absolutely get one. The slight input lag is completely trifling unless you are a competitive gamer who needs every possible edge that he can get.

Conversely, a wired gaming mouse is usually a better choice for those on a tighter budget or simply those who prefer getting a good mouse for their money rather than paying extra for wireless capabilities.

In the end, one is only better than the other based on a user’s requirements. We are tempted to say that wired mice are better for gaming because a wired connection is more stable and responsive, but as we have already mentioned, input lag and an unstable signal are only issues with wireless mice in only the most extreme of cases.